Display-counter.



W. G. 6: S. J. SHERER.

DISPLAY COUNTER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, I915.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Sal/dad TTED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

WILLIAM G. SHEREB AND SAMUEL J. SHERER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DISPLAY-COUNTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1 31,1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM G. SHERER and SAMUEL J. SHERER, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Counters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in display counters and has for one object to provide a new and improved form of display counter which may rest upon the ordinary working counter or bin or the like which can be used for the storage or display of groceries and the like.

One object is to provide a device in which the objects to be displayed will be more readily visible and make a more pleasing appearance to the eye.

Other objects will appear in the specification.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation; Fig. 2 is a section on an enlarged scale along the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a perspective of one of the package supporting clamp or bracket members. Fig. 4: is a detail section on a reduced scale of a modified form.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all the figures.

A is a supporting base or frame. Projecting upwardly therefrom are the supporting end panels A A which carry a top or cover A. The top or cover A is of course substantially parallel with the base A.

A A are sliding doors at the back of the display counter adapted to slide along the tracks A", A on the base A and the top or cover A Thus access to the interior of the counter may be had from the rear.

B is an inclined object supporting platform resting upon the base A. This platform is slotted or grooved as 'at B to engage the holding clip or clamp B upon which rests a display object B the object being by the clamp or clip held in position independent of the inclination of the supporting platform. B is a somewhat similar adjustable inclined platform upon which is mounted display object B This platform is mounted on pins B of the usual kind and held in position thereby. The pins B at the rear edge of the platform serve to prevent rearward and downward movement thereof.

O is a glass containing panel hinged at its lower edge, held in position on its upper edge by the locks C This panel is inclined and perpendicular to the shelves B, B. It contains a glass plate O held in position by the moldings C adjacent the forward edges of the shelves B, B.

C is a supporting bar extending across from end to end through the counter and adjustable in the holes O Its function is to engage the upper end of long slender objects which might otherwise tip over owing to their inclination bringing the center of gravity outside the supporting base.

Whereas it will be evident that we have shown in our drawings an operative device, still many changes might be made in size, shape and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. Therefore, we wish our drawings to be regarded as in a sense diagrammatic.

In the modified form shown in Fig. A is shown a display counter wherein the arrangement is exactly the sameeXcept that the glass panel is vertical, the shelves being inclined and the upper shelf not extending clear through to the glass.

This, of course, results in inclining the objects to be displayed so that they may be clearly visible but at the same time permits preservation of the ordinary type of square counter.

-It will be noted that one object of our invention is to provide adisplay counter wherein an inclined front transparent surface makes the goods inside peculiarly visible without the usual disadvantage accompanying such arrangement, viz: that the goods are partially at least back from the front of the counter. In our arrangement we hold the objects in position substantially parallel with the glass front resting as they do upon the inclined shelves. Of course any suitable means of holding objects in position might be adopted. The relation between the shelves and the front might be difierent but the general result is the same, viz. the objects are placed where they can best be seen and the counter wall protects them.

The use and operation of our invention are as follows: Our device is intended primarily to rest upon the ordinary working counter. A purchaser standing up against that counter cannot see into a display counter resting thereupon unless the front window is rearwardly inclined. We provide therefore, a rearwardly inclined window, but in order that the objects to be displayed shall be clearly visible, it is neces sary that they be at all points close to the Window and this makes it necessary to use a shelf perpendicular to the window. By this arrangement the objects displayed are as near to the transparent surface as possible, and being held by the holding clamps, the clips and the reinforcing bar there is no danger of their tipping over. The inclination of the supporting shelves and the Window to the horizontal may be as great as need be, depending, of course, on the position which is to be occupied and the height of the counter and also upon the material to be displayed. Access to the interior of the counter may be had either by the swinging front window or by the sliding rear door.

The rear door should be used in case the back side of the counter is exposed, but in case the counter should be resting upon a pin or support near a wall, it is necessary to enter from the front.

We claim:

A display counter comprising a housing, an inclined transparent front Wall therefor, a plurality of shelves perpendicular to the front wall, means for adj ustably positioning one of said shelves in the housing along the line parallel with the front transparent'wall, and means for preventing movement of said shelf away from the wall, display holding means mounted on the shelves for holding the lower end of the display object, and means mounted in the housing above the shelves for holding the upper end of the display object, said means being removable and adjustable in position for adjustment with respect to display objects.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 6th day of March, 1915.

WILLIAM G. SHERER. v SAMUEL J. SHEREB. Witnesses:

BESSIE S. RICE, MINNIE M. LINDENAU. 

